Dick, sailboats work like this:

Mr. Ashby:

I didn't call your experience into question, but this statement

"The boats needed a LOT of sail to make them move in light winds, sail that
had to be struck very quickly as
the winds piped up."

is nonsense, as you would know if you'd sailed a W32.

A 21,000 pound boat with a 26 foot waterline and a 11-1/2 beam needs -- as in
requires -- a LOT of sail to move in lite winds.

That is the nature -- the physics -- of sailing. 21,000 pounds of water
displacement every boatlength moved, and displaced up to nearly 6 six
horizontally each length, and make that horizontal movement in less than 13
feet each boatlength makes for one hell of a lot of power needed, i.e. a LOT of
sail in lite air.

Of course, if one defines a *tiny scrap of sail* to be **only** a 200 square
foot main sail AND **only** a 450 square foot genoa AND **only** a 180 square
foot staysail ... AND ***lite*** winds to be 12+ knots, then sure the boat
moves in lite winds.

I'll say it again: A 21,000 pound boat with a 26 foot waterline and a 11-1/2
foot beam *requires* the sails of a 21,000 pound boat with short waterline and
broad beam.

btw, the typo below should have read 50% over intrisic value, not of intrinsic
value.

Would I buy a W32? At a reasonable for what you get price, sure, as long as I
understood the limitations of the 21,000 pound boat in a 12,000 pound world.


Your sailing experience is certainly noteworthy, but I must inquire about
your consumer economics. You would buy a Westsail "if they weren't priced
about 50% of their intrinsic value," you say. Sounds like you'll do anything
to avoid a bargain. Apparently you'll wait 'til the prices rise to 100% of
intrinsic value. Tell you what: I'll sell you mine for 200%.

Fair winds,

Dick Behan



"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
Alas and alack. Though I've sailed boats as small as 8 feet and as large
as 75
feet ... boats with one sail, two sails, three sails, four sails and even
five
sails ... in winds as little as 0.01 knots and a high as 60+ knots (pegged
ASI)
with sustained gusts ... in waters from the Pacific to the Atlantic to the
Caribbean to LIS to the Chesepeake to Midwestern lakes, I have never
actually
sailed any of the 750 some Westsail 32's made.

This means, of course, I am totally out of bounds -- utterly without
experience
-- with my statement that a fat-assed 21,000 pound boat with a 11-1/2 foot
beam
and a 26 foot waterline is a slow sailor. Unless, perhaps, you might be
willing to go out on a limp and accept my personal experience of passing
by
W-32's left and right and north and south in every winds I have ever been
sailing and have chanced upon a W32 also sailing.

Would I buy a W32? Of course I would if they weren't priced about 50% of
their
intrinsic value. Lots of similarly capable boats out there with asking
prices
well under current W32 alure.

For the person not able to distinguish a Weatherly 32 from a Roughwater
33, a
Westsail 32 is a safe choice. Go spend the money.